Like many collegians with term papers due, legislators and the governor need to finish their most high-profile assignment with just a little time left: putting together a state budget for the 2018-19 biennium that totals somewhere in the $45 billion to $46 billion range.
To get ‘er done by the constitutional adjournment date of May 22, patience may no longer be a virtue. A lot of caffeine will probably help, too.
Critical of the pace of negotiations with Gov. Mark Dayton following a brief back-and-forth of budget offers and meetings behind closed doors, Republican legislative leaders late Monday opted to have House and Senate conference committees quickly finish their work before floor votes on five conference committee reports.
The governor ultimately vetoed those on Friday. Other budget bills have yet to make it to his desk.
Also yet to be finalized, but not required, is a bonding bill — none was passed last year. Real ID compliance also needs to be resolved, otherwise Minnesota IDs won’t be accepted for commercial air travel beginning next year.
Before looking ahead to next week let’s take a look at what you may have missed this week.
Check out the latest gallery from House Photography and stay up-to-date on House news and updates throughout the week at Session Daily.
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture omnibus finance bill repassed by House
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12871
Agriculture conferees reach agreement
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12866
BUDGET
As promised, Gov. Dayton vetoes five omnibus budget bills
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12897
Gov. Dayton to veto budget bills, resume negotiations next week
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12887
Governor, legislative leaders reach critical crossroads in budget negotiations
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12862
BUSINESS AND COMMERCE
House passes update to individual item retail price labeling
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12877
Auto dealers seek more leverage in their relationship with manufacturers
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12854
Insurance fraud investigators get a boost under bill OK’d by House
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12853
EDUCATION
Education finance bill moves to Senate after House repassage
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12871
EMPLOYMENT
Omnibus retirement bill gaining committee approval aims to stabilize public pension plans
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12898
With few changes, omnibus jobs and energy panel OKs conference report
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12865
House moves to make fixes to unemployment insurance law
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12855
ENVIRONMENT
Omnibus lands bill receives overwhelming House support
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12880
House votes to pass omnibus environment bill
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12869
Conferees agree on omnibus environment bill
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12864
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APRNs could be required to complete graduate courses for licensing
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12889
House sends governor bill to allow medical assistants to perform more duties
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12888
Technical change could clarify protection of some medical titles
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12890
Telemedicine defined in bill headed for governor
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12891
Omnibus health and human services bill heads for Dayton’s desk
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12874
HHS committee report signed, awaits House discussion
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12863
Limits for Medical Assistance estate recovery may be updated
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12881
House votes to require state strategic plan to end spread of HIV/AIDS
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12882
House repasses bill to help physicians practice in other states
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12883
Health Department official updates House committee on measles outbreak
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12875
House passes eye drop prescription refill mandate for health plans
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12879
Changes to CNA training reimbursement could increase access
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12876
‘Clean-up’ bill for state-run Joint Underwriters Association goes to governor
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12856
HIGHER EDUCATION
Higher education funding gets conference committee approval
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12861
Minnesota Index: Post-secondary education
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12850
HOUSING
Rules that hike home construction costs could get legislative review
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12896
Amended housing moratorium restrictions get House OK, go to governor
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12884
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Evening hours may not be required of county license bureaus
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12894
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
House votes to honor soldiers’ sacrifice with highway designations
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12870
PUBLIC SAFETY
Tampering with cop car could become felony crime
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12892
Majority of conferees OK public safety report, send to House, Senate
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12859
STATE GOVERNMENT
House acts to limit or ban payouts to departing admin officials
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12893
State government budget bill repassed by House
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12873
State government conferees sign report, bill now primed for floor action
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12867
House approves $35K in medical claims for eight injured people
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12878
Full House backs revisor’s fixes
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12868
Charitable gambling has nonprofits betting on legislative change
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12857
House votes to scratch outdated lottery provision, amend agency’s pension adjustments
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12852
TAXES
Tax bill conference committee report passed by House, heads to Senate
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12885
Omnibus tax bill ready for House Floor
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12860
TRANSPORTATION
Maximum weight for milk trucks would increase under bill given House OK
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12895
Transportation bill with boost in highway dollars — and without deep transit cuts — heads to Senate
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12886
License plates to memorialize law enforcement officers gets House OK
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/SessionDaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12851